2of8MIAMI, FL - DECEMBER 29: Kyler Murray #1 of the Oklahoma Sooners runs the ball against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)Photo: Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images

3of8NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 08: Kyler Murray of Oklahoma poses for a photo after winning the 2018 Heisman Trophy on December 8, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)Photo: Mike Stobe / Getty Images

4of8Deion Sanders of the Atlanta Braves, center, leaves Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, to rejoin the Atlanta Falcons for an NFL game, on Oct. 10, 1992. Sanders struck out in a pinch hit at-bat in the Braves, 6-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the fourth game of the National Leagues Championship series.Photo: Doug Mills / Associated Press

5of8Atlanta Falcons defensive back Deion Sanders reacts after making an interception against the Miami Dolphins, at the Orange Bowl, Oct. 12, 1992 in Miami.Photo: Associated Press

6of8Deion Sanders, left, gives a massage to teammate Terry Pendleton (9) in the Atlanta Braves dugout Sunday, Oct. 11, 1992 in Pittsburgh during the fifth game of the National League Championship Series. Braves' Otis Nixon is at right. Sanders joined his teammates in Pittsburgh after playing in the Atlanta Falcons' games against the Miami Dolphins in Miami.Photo: John Swart / Associated Press

7of8Deion Sanders, wearing shorts despite temperatures in the 50s, leaves a helicopter on Sunday, Oct. 11, 1992, on his way to Pittsburgh?s Three Rivers Stadium for the Atlanta Braves? game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Sanders flew to a Pittsburgh Airport from Miami where he had taken part in the NFL game between the Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins. Sanders took a helicopter from the airport to a television station?s landing pad near the stadium.Photo: Chaz Pall / Associated Press

8of8Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray poses with the trophy after winning The Davey O'Brien Award for being the top quarterback in college football, Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)Photo: John Bazemore / Associated Press

On the mysterious Mr. Murray, and other football thoughts:

•Just a few days ago, it seemed likely that Kyler Murray would honor his baseball arrangement with the A’s. And now? How about the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft?

That seems a bit excessive for a quarterback standing 5-foot-10 (at best), and remember that the A’s are still in play, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Arizona Cardinals might use that pick on Murray, then trade quarterback Josh Rosen, who didn’t perform well on a team that rarely gave him a chance to shine. Moreover, Kliff Kingsbury, the Cardinals’ new head coach, said in October that he’d have no problem making Murray the No. 1 overall pick if he had the choice.

•Two-sport memory: In 1992, Deion Sanders staged a spectacular performance for the Atlanta Falcons in Miami (the Falcons lost 21-17), took a flight to Pittsburgh, then boarded a helicopter to Three Rivers Stadium, where the Braves were about to play Game 5 of the NLCS against the Pirates. Sanders didn’t play in that game, but that was quite the doubleheader. (A week later, he bypassed the Falcons’ game against the 49ers and started for the Braves in Game 2 of the World Series, going 1-for-3 with two walks in a 5-4 Toronto win.)

•And another: John Elway was a tremendous player on the Stanford baseball team, got drafted by the Yankees (second round) in 1981, and played for the Yanks’ Class A Oneonta team in 1982 after finishing his senior season as one of the greatest collegiate quarterbacks ever seen. The Baltimore Colts had the No. 1 overall pick in ’83 and targeted Elway, but he wasn’t interested in playing for that struggling team. The Colts drafted him anyway, Elway balked, and the Denver Broncos wound up swinging a deal for him. That worked out pretty well — but too bad we didn’t see more of that arm in right field.

•Who would have thought we’ll have Levi’s nostalgia during future CFP championshp games? For the record, the next four stops are New Orleans, Miami, Indianapolis and Los Angeles. (The Rams’ stadium is scheduled to open in 2020.)

•Everyone’s a Trevor Lawrence fan in the wake of Clemson’s 44-16 rout of Alabama, and he isn’t the only Tigers star ineligible for the draft. So are running back Travis Etienne and top receivers Justyn Ross, Tee Higgins and Amari Rodgers. Hunter Renfrow is done after a stellar four-year career.

•Same story at Alabama, where Tua Tagovailoa returns with running back Najee Harris (the Antioch alum who finally will get his chance) and quality receivers Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs, DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle. Quarterback Jalen Hurts was a loyal soldier, well beyond the call of duty, but he’s made himself eligible for a graduate transfer — with Oklahoma perhaps at the top of his list.

•When you know you’ve been dreaming: You’re jolted out of a deep sleep with the news that Hurts transferred to Cal.

Bruce Jenkins has written for the San Francisco Chronicle since 1973 and has been a sports columnist since 1989. He has covered 27 World Series, 19 Wimbledons and many other major events, including the Super Bowl, World Cup soccer, NBA Finals, four major golf tournaments and U.S. Open tennis championships.

He graduated from Santa Monica High School in 1966 and UC Berkeley with a B.A. in journalistic studies in 1971.